Teachers Are Cashing In On Your Education

71 replies
An odd micro-niche and somewhat controversial...

Teachers are making money by selling lesson plans they've created over the years.

So if you're a teacher -retired or active- with good lesson plans, TeachersPayTeachers and WeAreTeachers lets you sell them and earn some cash on the side. Some are even paying their mortgages with them.

Talk about a micro niche! It just goes to show how many markets exist out there.
#cashing #education #teachers
  • Profile picture of the author Radix
    Even teachers are cheating these days...our civilization is doomed.

    As a former teacher, this is equal to sharing underwear with a hobo.
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    • Profile picture of the author Martin Luxton
      Don't see anything controversial about it. Teachers are underpaid, overworked and underappreciated.

      Why shouldn't they make extra money from their expertise?

      This is not a new niche by any means. Teachers were selling lesson plans and activities decades ago.

      Martin
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      • Profile picture of the author Radix
        Originally Posted by Martin Luxton View Post

        Don't see anything controversial about it. Teachers are underpaid, overworked and underappreciated.

        Why shouldn't they make extra money from their expertise?

        This is not a new niche by any means. Teachers were selling lesson plans and activities decades ago.

        Martin
        Selling leads to buying and buying leads to teachers not really doing 100% of their job. It is your job as a teacher to create your own lesson plans. This is really on the same level as buying and selling college essays. I wonder how many of these teachers would openly admit to buying their lesson plans.
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        • Profile picture of the author Martin Luxton
          Originally Posted by Radix View Post

          It is your job as a teacher to create your own lesson plans.
          Your job as a teacher is to deliver the best lesson you can. Of course you have to know how to plan a lesson.

          If teachers had to write all their own lesson plans why do schools use course books? Why do speakers at teachers' conferences give copies of their activities? Why are photocopiable resource books a mainstay of a teachers' library?

          Martin
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          • Profile picture of the author Taylor French
            Originally Posted by Martin Luxton View Post

            Your job as a teacher is to deliver the best lesson you can. Of course you have to know how to plan a lesson.

            If teachers had to write all their own lesson plans why do schools use course books? Why do speakers at teachers' conferences give copies of their activities? Why are photocopiable resource books a mainstay of a teachers' library?

            Martin
            I agree. I don't consider it a teacher's job to create lesson plans. I don't care if a teacher uses their own lesson, plan or one they bought, or one they were gifted, as long as they deliver a solid education.
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          • Profile picture of the author Rezbi
            Originally Posted by Martin Luxton View Post

            Your job as a teacher is to deliver the best lesson you can. Of course you have to know how to plan a lesson.

            If teachers had to write all their own lesson plans why do schools use course books? Why do speakers at teachers' conferences give copies of their activities? Why are photocopiable resource books a mainstay of a teachers' library?

            Martin
            Exactly.

            Why do people on here buy prepared courses to learn internet market instead of doing their own research from scratch?
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        • Profile picture of the author Rezbi
          Originally Posted by Radix View Post

          Selling leads to buying and buying leads to teachers not really doing 100% of their job. It is your job as a teacher to create your own lesson plans. This is really on the same level as buying and selling college essays. I wonder how many of these teachers would openly admit to buying their lesson plans.
          I see, so you know what a techer's job is, then? Are you a teacher, or ever been one?

          It's tough enough teaching a bunch of kids who don't want to be taught. Then setting them homework they don't want to do. And then marking that same homework.

          Now, keep in mind, some teachers teach more than one class in each subject: that's around 25 kids each class x 3= 75 kids.

          Then there's other classes to the same numbers of kids, doing the same amount of work.

          And you have a teacher who gets paid a fraction of what he or she should be getting paid.

          And don't forget, the teacher's work isn't finished in school. Once home, there's more to be done. Much more.

          How do I know? I used to be a teacher.

          So, please, unless you've done all of that, stop being a judgemental know-it-all.

          I forgot to mention: I taught four subects to four different classes.
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          • Profile picture of the author Radix
            Originally Posted by Rezbi View Post

            I see, so you know what a techer's job is, then? Are you a teacher, or ever been one?

            It's tough enough teaching a bunch of kids who don't want to be taught. Then setting them homework they don't want to do. And then marking that same homework.

            Now, keep in mind, some teachers teach more than one class in each subject: that's around 25 kids each class x 3= 75 kids.

            Then there's other classes to the same numbers of kids, doing the same amount of work.

            And you have a teacher who gets paid a fraction of what he or she should be getting paid.

            And don't forget, the teacher's work isn't finished in school. Once home, there's more to be done. Much more.

            How do I know? I used to be a teacher.

            So, please, unless you've done all of that, stop being a judgemental know-it-all.

            I forgot to mention: I taught four subects to four different classes.
            I was a secondary English teacher for eight years in public schools. I then spent another six years teaching curriculum and instruction in addition to supervising several student teachers every semester for a public university. My first teaching job had six preps. Two weekends a month I would plan out every lesson plan for the next two weeks. That was in addition to grading many, many papers. So you can see, it wasn't really a hasty or unqualified judgment.

            Lesson plans are built around the curriculum. The curriculum is prescribed by the school itself usually under somewhat rigid guidelines provided by the state. Now if you were to buy a lesson plan from someone in State A and you live in State G, how exactly would these lesson plans line up? They won't, which leads new or lazy teachers adapting lesson plans to an instructional goal it was never intended to meet if they even put that much effort into it.

            Problems arise with the type of individuals who buy lesson plans. The bulk of the people that do so are not experienced or veteran teachers. It's sometimes hard enough to determine the most direct path to meet your learning objectives. To then have to take some lesson plan and manipulate it into something else seems an additional and frankly stupid step.

            Unless your goal is to simply "look" like you're teaching.
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            • Profile picture of the author Rezbi
              Originally Posted by Radix View Post

              I was a secondary English teacher for eight years in public schools. I then spent another six years teaching curriculum and instruction in addition to supervising several student teachers every semester for a public university. My first teaching job had six preps. Two weekends a month I would plan out every lesson plan for the next two weeks. That was in addition to grading many, many papers. So you can see, it wasn't really a hasty or unqualified judgment.

              Lesson plans are built around the curriculum. The curriculum is prescribed by the school itself usually under somewhat rigid guidelines provided by the state. Now if you were to buy a lesson plan from someone in State A and you live in State G, how exactly would these lesson plans line up? They won't, which leads new or lazy teachers adapting lesson plans to an instructional goal it was never intended to meet if they even put that much effort into it.

              Problems arise with the type of individuals who buy lesson plans. The bulk of the people that do so are not experienced or veteran teachers. It's sometimes hard enough to determine the most direct path to meet your learning objectives. To then have to take some lesson plan and manipulate it into something else seems an additional and frankly stupid step.

              Unless your goal is to simply "look" like you're teaching.
              So, you teach in the U.S.?

              I've never personally bought lesson plans, but I bloody well felt like doing it.

              I don't know how much you earned but I was getting a pittance.
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              • Profile picture of the author Radix
                Originally Posted by Rezbi View Post

                So, you teach in the U.S.?

                I've never personally bought lesson plans, but I bloody well felt like doing it.

                I don't know how much you earned but I was getting a pittance.

                I don't anymore. My first teaching gig paid $14,500 and that was with five different preps, plus I was the school newspaper adviser, yearbook adviser, student government adviser and director of the school play. They paid me an additional $250 to be an assistant basketball coach.

                Basically I was doing three people's job for about half of what they could pay a veteran teacher.

                I was happy to have the job and don't regret it. With that said, the money thing is really why I eventually left public schools.
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                • Profile picture of the author Rezbi
                  [QUOTE=Radix;1391157]I don't anymore. My first teaching gig paid $14,500 and that was with five different preps, plus I was the school newspaper adviser, yearbook adviser, student government adviser and director of the school play. They paid me an additional $250 to be an assistant basketball coach.

                  Basically I was doing three people's job for about half of what they could pay a veteran teacher.

                  I was happy to have the job and don't regret it. With that said, the money thing is really why I eventually left public schools.[/QUOTE]

                  'Nuff said, I think.
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  • Profile picture of the author DrewG
    I remember my highschool teacher saying something about selling her lesson plans and retiring (she had a HUGE binder full of stuff), so I'm pretty sure this thing is pretty common.
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  • Profile picture of the author Taylor French
    I think teachers are vastly underpaid and deserve to make more money with their plans. And I'd rather teachers buy lesson plans that make poor ones. Not all teachers are on equal footing as far as being creative with their planning, so let the good ones profit and the bad ones have better plans for students. Nothing wrong with that.
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    • Profile picture of the author Radix
      Originally Posted by Taylor French View Post

      I think teachers are vastly underpaid and deserve to make more money with their plans. And I'd rather teachers buy lesson plans that make poor ones. Not all teachers are on equal footing as far as being creative with their planning, so let the good ones profit and the bad ones have better plans for students. Nothing wrong with that.
      Except a bad teacher won't recognize a bad lesson plan. I have no problem with teachers cashing in, I simply chose to leave the profession. I'd just assume anyone doing a bad job find another one. Especially when the quality of their work impacts so many.
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      • Profile picture of the author Taylor French
        Originally Posted by Radix View Post

        Except a bad teacher won't recognize a bad lesson plan. I have no problem with teachers cashing in, I simply chose to leave the profession. I'd just assume anyone doing a bad job find another one. Especially when the quality of their work impacts so many.
        You'd "just assume anyone doing a bad job find another one"? Huh? That's not grammatically correct, is it? Is that why you left the profession? :confused:

        just as soon just assume - Google Search

        I assume you mean "just as soon".

        Anyway, considering there is a severe shortage of teachers in the United States, I think even a mediocre teacher is better than none at all. Schools are severely overcrowded. We need MORE teachers, not fewer.
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    • Profile picture of the author seasoned
      Originally Posted by Taylor French View Post

      I think teachers are vastly underpaid and deserve to make more money with their plans. And I'd rather teachers buy lesson plans that make poor ones. Not all teachers are on equal footing as far as being creative with their planning, so let the good ones profit and the bad ones have better plans for students. Nothing wrong with that.
      MAN, you are assuming a LOT! Supposed the ones selling plans are selling BAD plans? FRANKLY, I think a lot of teachers are OVERpaid. When asked to have tests, etc.. they STRIKE! at least that is what happened in texas and california, and probably ELSEWHERE!

      Pay the good ones, FIRE the bad(TENURED OR NOT!)!

      Steve
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      • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
        Originally Posted by seasoned View Post

        MAN, you are assuming a LOT! Supposed the ones selling plans are selling BAD plans? FRANKLY, I think a lot of teachers are OVERpaid. When asked to have tests, etc.. they STRIKE! at least that is what happened in texas and california, and probably ELSEWHERE!

        Pay the good ones, FIRE the bad(TENURED OR NOT!)!

        Steve
        Steve, I agree with you. Even though my wife is a teacher, I say the bad
        ones should be shown the door.

        The other side of the fence, however, is that a lot of school systems don't
        support their teachers properly and give them the materials they need to
        do the job effectively, usually because of lack of funds.

        But that's another can of worms that I'd just assume not get into here.

        I'm just going to be very happy when my wife retires.

        25 plus years has been way too long.
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        • Profile picture of the author Rezbi
          Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim View Post

          The other side of the fence, however, is that a lot of school systems don't
          support their teachers properly and give them the materials they need to
          do the job effectively, usually because of lack of funds.
          I know this too well. I had to fight just to get the materials I needed to teach my lessons.
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      • Profile picture of the author Rezbi
        Originally Posted by seasoned View Post

        MAN, you are assuming a LOT! Supposed the ones selling plans are selling BAD plans? FRANKLY, I think a lot of teachers are OVERpaid. When asked to have tests, etc.. they STRIKE! at least that is what happened in texas and california, and probably ELSEWHERE!

        Pay the good ones, FIRE the bad(TENURED OR NOT!)!

        Steve
        While you're right and the bad teachers should be fired, that does not mean teachers in general are overpaid. Not by a long shot.

        I quit my teaching job because I couldn't afford to live on the pay.
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        • Profile picture of the author seasoned
          Originally Posted by Rezbi View Post

          While you're right and the bad teachers should be fired, that does not mean teachers in general are overpaid. Not by a long shot.

          I quit my teaching job because I couldn't afford to live on the pay.
          I can't speak about YOU. I don't know you. SOME, however, do not deserve one PENNY! THINK about it! They waste maybe 30+ people's time with nonsense or stuff they don't know and/or can't teach.

          And there was one teacher I knew that worked at approving teachers. There was a teacher that was OK at teaching classes, but I guess not the best at explaining. ANOTHER was one everyone liked, was a good tutor etc..., but not the best in front of a class. They WANTED to keep BOTH, but were AFRAID to keep the second guy! They were DEBATING it! WHY!?!!? Because this was their LAST year before he would have tenure. If they kept him on, and later lost funds, they would have to fire the BETTER teacher, because she WOULDN'T have tenure!

          Sometimes things that SEEM good can BITE YOU!

          HEY, they have more they SHOULD teach now, but don't, things are going downhill, and Obama is claiming the students should waste MORE of their time! INCREDIBLE!

          Steve
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          • Profile picture of the author Rezbi
            Originally Posted by seasoned View Post

            I can't speak about YOU. I don't know you. SOME, however, do not deserve one PENNY! THINK about it! They waste maybe 30+ people's time with nonsense or stuff they don't know and/or can't teach.

            And there was one teacher I knew that worked at approving teachers. There was a teacher that was OK at teaching classes, but I guess not the best at explaining. ANOTHER was one everyone liked, was a good tutor etc..., but not the best in front of a class. They WANTED to keep BOTH, but were AFRAID to keep the second guy! They were DEBATING it! WHY!?!!? Because this was their LAST year before he would have tenure. If they kept him on, and later lost funds, they would have to fire the BETTER teacher, because she WOULDN'T have tenure!

            Sometimes things that SEEM good can BITE YOU!

            HEY, they have more they SHOULD teach now, but don't, things are going downhill, and Obama is claiming the students should waste MORE of their time! INCREDIBLE!

            Steve
            I agree. When I read some of the letters from my younger son's school I'm astonished that it's not only written by a teacher, but by the head teacher.

            I have a feeling some of them really believe writing is spelt with an 'r' in front. The English is appalling.
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            • Profile picture of the author seasoned
              Originally Posted by Rezbi View Post

              I agree. When I read some of the letters from my younger son's school I'm astonished that it's not only written by a teacher, but by the head teacher.

              I have a feeling some of them really believe writing is spelt with an 'r' in front. The English is appalling.
              That's NOTHING! I spoke to one parent that said her kids are complaining about some teachers that are FOREIGNERS! ONE teacher is ARROGANT, TALKS FAST, and mispronounces, and her son can't understand him. Her son's grades are suffering because of the TEACHER! He WAS doing well. There are some times when you have to consider some things.

              How many people have to suffer and/or DIE before someone in power gets that through their thick skull!?

              Steve
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      • Profile picture of the author Mary Laine
        My sister is a teacher, and certainly is NOT overpaid!! Now, her husband, who is a tradesman is making + $40 ph with no formal education...is he overpaid because he is in a niche that will never stop..building houses?
        I see nothing wrong with buying another teachers expertise, especially if it helps round out the class. It is like buying a WSO, why not be able to pay a bit and get some ideas? Not like I use every WSO I buy but always find SOMETHING new in a fresh outlook!

        Originally Posted by seasoned View Post

        MAN, you are assuming a LOT! Supposed the ones selling plans are selling BAD plans? FRANKLY, I think a lot of teachers are OVERpaid. When asked to have tests, etc.. they STRIKE! at least that is what happened in texas and california, and probably ELSEWHERE!

        Pay the good ones, FIRE the bad(TENURED OR NOT!)!

        Steve
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        • Profile picture of the author seasoned
          Originally Posted by Mary Laine View Post

          My sister is a teacher, and certainly is NOT overpaid!! Now, her husband, who is a tradesman is making + $40 ph with no formal education...is he overpaid because he is in a niche that will never stop..building houses?
          I see nothing wrong with buying another teachers expertise, especially if it helps round out the class. It is like buying a WSO, why not be able to pay a bit and get some ideas? Not like I use every WSO I buy but always find SOMETHING new in a fresh outlook!
          I said a LOT are, certainly NOT all. I can't speak about your sister. If her husband is a homebuilder, he is out in the sun, doing hard work, and a lot may rest on his shoulders. If he has a good record, $40 may not be a bad amount. There is a lot more than simply formal training. Besides, the expertise in home building varies from something practically any monkey could do to things where a good person can do it neat, solid and safe, and a bad person may not even know where to start.

          Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author AmyBrown
    Teachers have always been able to buy lesson plans in books and other resources. What's different is this is teacher-teacher (hopefully) and that teachers are profiting from a work product that some conclude does not belong to them. Therein lies the controversy.

    I was an elementary and special-needs teacher and I've never heard of anyone selling their lesson plans and resources. My experience was that retiring teachers gave their stuff to remaining teachers, especially new teachers. If they didn't we knew they were moving on and not really retiring
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  • Profile picture of the author Taylor French
    And some parents are schooling their children at home. I think I read that there are over a million families doing this in the U.S. It was a big number. Those families would benefit greatly from being able to purchase lesson plans from qualified educators.
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  • Profile picture of the author Goatboy
    When my nephew told me one of his college science teachers was selling his own lectures on video for $5 each I just about hit the floor. It makes no sense to agree to teach a class and then charge for the lessons. I could understand it if the videos were free to the teacher's own students and at a charge to students from other schools.
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    • Profile picture of the author Rezbi
      Originally Posted by Goatboy View Post

      When my nephew told me one of his college science teachers was selling his own lectures on video for $5 each I just about hit the floor. It makes no sense to agree to teach a class and then charge for the lessons. I could understand it if the videos were free to the teacher's own students and at a charge to students from other schools.
      I wonder how many people on this forum complain they're not making any money, despite doing nothing to deserve it.
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    • Profile picture of the author ahlexis
      Originally Posted by Goatboy View Post

      When my nephew told me one of his college science teachers was selling his own lectures on video for $5 each I just about hit the floor. It makes no sense to agree to teach a class and then charge for the lessons. I could understand it if the videos were free to the teacher's own students and at a charge to students from other schools.
      For some reason this makes sense to me. And here's why.

      Going to college = attending classes. Being in the seat, taking the time to attend the lecture. If you miss it for whatever reason, you get to chase other students and/or bug the teacher afterward or do whatever else you need to do in order to catch up, or that part of the course is just gone to you...you don't get to see what you missed. So if the student is sick and misses the class, then the $5 is for seeing what they missed.

      In some of the schools today the outline of the class lecture for the day is downloadable prior to the class lecture, making note taking a fill-in-the-blanks exercise where you get to pay a bit closer attention instead of scrambling to write so much. And after class, the student has the option to go and download the podcast of the lecture...for free...if they should choose to do so. At least that's how it currently is at Ohio State University.

      So for $5 you can get the actual video, meaning you get almost the exact same experience as the other students who actually showed up for class? Now that I think about it, perhaps $5 per video of the lecture is a bit low...
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  • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
    I'm sorry but the person who has a problem with this practice is quite
    misinformed.

    My wife is a teacher and there are actual companies, sanctioned by the
    Teacher's Union, that sell lesson plans.

    This is a perfectly viable and legitimate niche.

    Having said that, my wife makes her own plans, BUT...I really have to talk
    to her about selling some of them now.

    Could be an extra income for my poor underpaid, school system abused wife.
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    • Profile picture of the author Radix
      Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim View Post

      I'm sorry but the person who has a problem with this practice is quite
      misinformed.

      My wife is a teacher and there are actual companies, sanctioned by the
      Teacher's Union, that sell lesson plans.

      This is a perfectly viable and legitimate niche.

      Having said that, my wife makes her own plans, BUT...I really have to talk
      to her about selling some of them now.

      Could be an extra income for my poor underpaid, school system abused wife.

      "there are actual companies, sanctioned by the
      Teacher's Union, that sell lesson plans."

      Yes Steve, because they have been reviewed in relation to the curriculum they are being directly marketed towards.
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      • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
        Originally Posted by Radix View Post

        "there are actual companies, sanctioned by the
        Teacher's Union, that sell lesson plans."

        Yes Steve, because they have been reviewed in relation to the curriculum they are being directly marketed towards.
        Except that these companies can sell lesson plans to ANYBODY regardless of
        what school or district it is. And certainly not every school district has the
        same curriculum. so the argument really doesn't hold up.

        Case in point. Go find one of these companies online and you can purchase
        from them REGARDLESS of what state you live in. I know from personal
        experience with the NJEA that NJ is quite different from many states.

        But that's another can of worms I don't want to open up.
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        • Profile picture of the author Radix
          Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim View Post

          Except that these companies can sell lesson plans to ANYBODY regardless of
          what school or district it is. And certainly not every school district has the
          same curriculum. so the argument really doesn't hold up.

          Case in point. Go find one of these companies online and you can purchase
          from them REGARDLESS of what state you live in. I know from personal
          experience with the NJEA that NJ is quite different from many states.

          But that's another can of worms I don't want to open up.
          Sure they can sell to anyone, but why would a district purchase plans that didn't meet their instructional objectives. Not all of these companies sell directly to teachers. Some districts buy these plans to help their teachers rather than paying textbook companies three times as much for crappy lesson plans. I don't really object to this arrangement. I do object to some clown selling his junk on ebay.
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  • Profile picture of the author butters
    Dam right they should cash in on this and good on them, if they create a lesson plan they got the right to sell it on. We pay for many things which are useless at-least they are selling something kids + adults can benefit from. If a adult wants to go back to college/university, they get to see the criteria and get to know what is expected of them for 27 bucks. Thats much better then going to college / uni and paying 4k and realizing crap, I can't do this.
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    • Profile picture of the author Dan C. Rinnert
      Controversy?

      Isn't making sure kids get a good education the important thing here?

      Wouldn't you prefer a teacher that gives the best lessons possible to hold kids' interest and ensure that they learn the subject matter, even if that teacher has to buy a lesson plan from someone else?

      Or, would you prefer a teacher that does everything on their own? He or she may not give the best lessons. Maybe they're acceptable, but they're not great. But, at least, they did it on their own, right?

      I would think that if education is the focus, you'd prefer the former over the latter. In that case, shouldn't the person who developed the superior lesson plan be rewarded for it?

      And, if they are rewarded for it, wouldn't you think other teachers would step up and try to improve on things, making better and better lesson plans? It may even attract more people into the field, which could help increase quality even further.

      It would seem to be a better motivator than equal pay for unequal work.

      There are good teachers and there are bad teachers. Some so bad they really have no business trying to teach kids, but what are schools to do with a limited pool of teachers? So, anything that helps retain good teachers and perhaps bring more good teachers into the field can't be too bad.

      Bringing back capitalism into education is perhaps long overdue.
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      • Profile picture of the author Kevin AKA Hubcap
        What's wrong with a teacher purchasing a lesson plan from another teacher.

        Of course we expect a teacher to be able to tell the difference between a good lesson plan and a deficient one but IMO that has little to no relevance to the theme of the OP which is teachers selling lesson plans.

        Why develop something totally from scratch when you can purchase a plan that that's just as good and has an additional benefit of giving you more time?

        Kevin
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        • Profile picture of the author Audrey Harvey
          Originally Posted by Kevin AKA Hubcap View Post

          What's wrong with a teacher purchasing a lesson plan from another teacher.

          Of course we expect a teacher to be able to tell the difference between a good lesson plan and a deficient one but IMO that has little to no relevance to the theme of the OP which is teachers selling lesson plans.

          Why develop something totally from scratch when you can purchase a plan that that's just as good and has an additional benefit of giving you more time?

          Kevin
          Sounds a lot like reinventing the wheel. As one of the thousands of homeschooling parents in the world, I've no problems at all with teachers selling their plans. It would save me a ton of time, and I'm off to see if any Aussie teachers are doing the same thing. Drwhogoesthere, if you have any relevant Aussie links, I'd very much appreciate you pm'ing them to me.
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      • Profile picture of the author Rezbi
        Originally Posted by Dan C. Rinnert View Post

        Controversy?

        Isn't making sure kids get a good education the important thing here?

        Wouldn't you prefer a teacher that gives the best lessons possible to hold kids' interest and ensure that they learn the subject matter, even if that teacher has to buy a lesson plan from someone else?
        Absolutely.

        I remember spending a lot of time worrying about the amount of time I would need to put in just to prepare and mark homework outside of working hours.

        That's not something teachers should have to worry about when they're trying to teach kids the best they can.
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  • Profile picture of the author AmyBrown
    Looking at the sellers terms on one of the sites it's not the teachers who are cashing in... It will be interesting to see how it all shakes out but could be worthwhile to develop a competing marketplace. Neither of the sites mentioned in the article are terribly impressive.
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  • Profile picture of the author AffiliateInABox1
    Actually, depending on *where* to teach, some of the requirements for teachers has become ridiculous (in terms of what you need for your lesson plans/practicum/etc/etc). So it\'s not really a niche -- (or if you call it that, its a huge one), because pretty much every teacher needs a lesson plan, and when you are just starting out, they are usually reviewed extensively.
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  • Profile picture of the author TheDebtEliminator
    Here is my 2-cents

    If the teacher is helping students study and get organized

    Let's give the credit and encouragement to these dedicated folks

    We can all agree that they are under paid and many are just teaching for noble purposes.

    Give your teacher a hug, plus an apple today - They deserve much more

    All the Best
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  • Profile picture of the author AmyBrown
    Originally Posted by Dan C. Rinnert View Post

    Controversy?

    -->snip

    Bringing back capitalism into education is perhaps long overdue.
    The controversy is whether the work product, for which a teacher has arguably been paid to produce, is legally theirs to sell. In my experience it's always been theirs to give away, the difference here is profit. That aspect will be decided by the school districts, judicial system or both.

    On the other hand, if the marketplace becomes flooded with sub-standard materials because teachers or people pretending to be teachers are producing materials for profit that hasn't actually been used in the classroom it becomes a problem for teachers, students and parents. This is mitigated somewhat by the curriculum standards and review processes in place in many schools. Ironically it is usually the private school teachers who have the most leeway in terms of material use.
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    • Profile picture of the author Radix
      Originally Posted by AmyBrown View Post

      The controversy is whether the work product, for which a teacher has arguably been paid to produce, is legally theirs to sell. In my experience it's always been theirs to give away, the difference here is profit. That aspect will be decided by the school districts, judicial system or both.

      On the other hand, if the marketplace becomes flooded with sub-standard materials because teachers or people pretending to be teachers are producing materials for profit that hasn't actually been used in the classroom it becomes a problem for teachers, students and parents. This is mitigated somewhat by the curriculum standards and review processes in place in many schools. Ironically it is usually the private school teachers who have the most leeway in terms of material use.

      I have never personally witnessed any district laying claim to a teacher's lesson plans. Any lesson plan created by a teacher is generally considered their intellectual property. I can see how a school district would have grounds to contest that, but without any way to prove specifically when the materials were created they would not be successful.
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    • Profile picture of the author Rezbi
      Originally Posted by AmyBrown View Post

      The controversy is whether the work product, for which a teacher has arguably been paid to produce, is legally theirs to sell. In my experience it's always been theirs to give away, the difference here is profit.
      My point, also.

      When you have internet marketers who teach others on courses where they charge thousands, and then they take the recordings and sell it on to others - what's the difference?
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  • Profile picture of the author AmyBrown
    Did you read the article that sparked this thread? It gives specific examples.
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    • Profile picture of the author Radix
      Originally Posted by AmyBrown View Post

      Did you read the article that sparked this thread? It gives specific examples.
      I did, but the examples they provide aren't clear enough to make any kind of decision regarding the validity of each party's claims.

      For example, many purchased instructional materials include teacher lesson plans. If I were to sell those as my own, I'd be in trouble. If I modified them and sold them as my own, I'd be in trouble.

      Planning time for the average teacher is typically 50-60 minutes per day unless they're on a block schedule. The bulk of their work is done after the school day has ended. Unless the school provides a reasonable amount of time for planning and compensates the individual for that time, they have zero claim to the work product.
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  • Profile picture of the author aquablue
    What's the difference between buying and sharing (other than the obvious)? More experienced teachers have always lent a helping hand to those newer to the profession. I really don't see the problem with buying lesson plans. The "real" teaching is in the delivery.

    @Radix: I would think that anyone buying lesson plans would actually purchase those appropriate for their subject. I don't totally get the whole State A, State B reference. Is solving long division word problems taught differently in north Carolina than in New York? I doubt it.
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    • Profile picture of the author Radix
      Originally Posted by aquablue View Post

      What's the difference between buying and sharing (other than the obvious)? More experienced teachers have always lent a helping hand to those newer to the profession. I really don't see the problem with buying lesson plans. The "real" teaching is in the delivery.

      @Radix: I would think that anyone buying lesson plans would actually purchase those appropriate for their subject. I don't totally get the whole State A, State B reference. Is solving long division word problems taught differently in north Carolina than in New York? I doubt it.

      Lol, math is actually probably the VERY BEST example you could have chosen to prove my point.
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  • Profile picture of the author AmyBrown
    Radix - This is sparking considerable controversy at the school and district level. I just got back from volunteering at the high school and neither the teachers nor principal think it's a simple as you've made it out to be. In this small sample none thought it was a good idea.

    My last comment on this is that there is a huge gap between required curriculum and a specific lesson plan. A teacher searching on these sites would look for materials that supported the curriculum they're teaching.

    The ability to turn the required curriculum and educational objectives into an engaging lesson is what differentiates a mediocre teacher from a great one. Whether a teacher creates the adjunct materials, borrows an idea or plan from another teacher or buys them doesn't change that. Some teachers are highly creative, others simply aren't creative but can leverage materials and involve students.
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    • Profile picture of the author Radix
      Originally Posted by AmyBrown View Post

      Radix - This is sparking considerable controversy at the school and district level. I just got back from volunteering at the high school and neither the teachers nor principal think it's a simple as you've made it out to be. In this small sample none thought it was a good idea.

      My last comment on this is that there is a huge gap between required curriculum and a specific lesson plan. A teacher searching on these sites would look for materials that supported the curriculum they're teaching.

      The ability to turn the required curriculum and educational objectives into an engaging lesson is what differentiates a mediocre teacher from a great one. Whether a teacher creates the adjunct materials, borrows an idea or plan from another teacher or buys them doesn't change that. Some teachers are highly creative, others simply aren't creative but can leverage materials and involve students.

      I don't advocate the practice, that's what got everyone else worked up. I am oversimplifying, but I'm not also not speaking to educators here. There are multiple reasons the buying and selling of lesson plans is a poor practice. I completely disagree that the origin of the lesson plan is irrelevant. Borrowing ideas, modifying existing materials, using materials from a peer or mentor are all perfectly acceptable and encouraged. Buying a lesson plan from a perfect stranger is abusing the trust the school and community have placed in the teacher. They hired a teacher, not a stunt double.
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      • Profile picture of the author AmyBrown
        Originally Posted by Radix View Post

        I don't advocate the practice, that's what got everyone else worked up. I am oversimplifying, but I'm not also not speaking to educators here. There are multiple reasons the buying and selling of lesson plans is a poor practice. I completely disagree that the origin of the lesson plan is irrelevant. Borrowing ideas, modifying existing materials, using materials from a peer or mentor are all perfectly acceptable and encouraged. Buying a lesson plan from a perfect stranger is abusing the trust the school and community have placed in the teacher. They hired a teacher, not a stunt double.

        To clarify, it was your assertion of the legality and acceptability of a teacher profiting from materials created for their classroom that I was addressing. The article was on the front page of the paper on Sunday and the subject is the topic of much conversation here in suburbia.

        I had books of lesson plans, lesson plans I developed in teacher training, lessons given to me by my mentor teachers. None of that is different than purchasing one online. I'll admit to owning, modifying, perhaps even using some of them as-is if it suited what I was teaching. No one was abused in the process. The magic is in the teaching, not the plan book.
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  • Who buys those lesson plans? Teachers!!!

    The NY Times article brings up an interesting point about Teachers using Resources to create the plans while they are at work, but not sharing the profits.

    Seems like teacher employment contracts will change as a result. The Schools are going to want their cut.
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  • Profile picture of the author drwhogoesthere
    I think you are all on the wrong track. I still work as a teacher and it is not the lesson plan that makes a good teacher, it's how you get the kids interested.

    A good lesson plan will not automatically give you success. What worked last year may not work this year. Teachers are constantly revising lessons. Different student require a different approach. I don't know how many times I've thrown a lesson out of the window and started again.

    In all honesty I give very little attention to lesson plans. I see them as paper work to justify someone else job.

    My lesson plans sit in my draw and come out only when asked to be seen. I talk with, not to, my students.

    Teaching is about engaging your students. If you can get to their level in talking to them or in the way they think you are doomed.

    Buy, sell, copy, create your own lesson plans. Who really gives one flying (insert your own word here).
    If you judge a teacher on their lesson plans then you have a poor idea about what teaching really is. Teaching is a 24 hour a day job. Under the NSW Department of Education, a teacher still has to act in an appropriate manner outside of school. And when you live in a community of less than 2000 people you are always on.
    What makes a bad teacher? A person that won't just bend over and take the rubbish dealt out by parents and "concerned" individuals. A person that tells parents to butt out and that you son/daughter is a little pain in the backside and not the innocent little angel. It has nothing to do with lesson plans.
    And unless you are/have been a teacher I don't see how you can really participate in this discussion.
    Yes I am one of those teachers that tell parents the truth about their kids, warts and all.
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    • Profile picture of the author Radix
      Originally Posted by drwhogoesthere View Post

      I think you are all on the wrong track. I still work as a teacher and it is not the lesson plan that makes a good teacher, it's how you get the kids interested.

      A good lesson plan will not automatically give you success. What worked last year may not work this year. Teachers are constantly revising lessons. Different student require a different approach. I don't know how many times I've thrown a lesson out of the window and started again.

      In all honesty I give very little attention to lesson plans. I see them as paper work to justify someone else job.

      My lesson plans sit in my draw and come out only when asked to be seen. I talk with, not to, my students.

      Teaching is about engaging your students. If you can get to their level in talking to them or in the way they think you are doomed.

      Buy, sell, copy, create your own lesson plans. Who really gives one flying (insert your own word here).
      If you judge a teacher on their lesson plans then you have a poor idea about what teaching really is. Teaching is a 24 hour a day job. Under the NSW Department of Education, a teacher still has to act in an appropriate manner outside of school. And when you live in a community of less than 2000 people you are always on.
      What makes a bad teacher? A person that won't just bend over and take the rubbish dealt out by parents and "concerned" individuals. A person that tells parents to butt out and that you son/daughter is a little pain in the backside and not the innocent little angel. It has nothing to do with lesson plans.
      And unless you are/have been a teacher I don't see how you can really participate in this discussion.
      Yes I am one of those teachers that tell parents the truth about their kids, warts and all.

      We had to abandon the whole "trust teachers" thing here when Bush tied school funding to student success. It was headed that way long before, but he sealed the deal. Now teachers are responsible for the performance of creatures that are generally indifferent to the world that surrounds them. It's really quite comical if you think about it.

      The sad reality is teachers are now required to provide lesson plans that prove they are teaching directly to their state's respective assessment. Anything beyond that is peachy, but that is the minimum administrators have to ensure.
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      • Profile picture of the author Dan C. Rinnert
        Originally Posted by Radix View Post

        We had to abandon the whole "trust teachers" thing here when Bush tied school funding to student success. It was headed that way long before, but he sealed the deal.
        That was bipartisan legislation. Ted Kennedy was standing right next to him when he signed it.
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      • Profile picture of the author seasoned
        Originally Posted by Radix View Post

        We had to abandon the whole "trust teachers" thing here when Bush tied school funding to student success. It was headed that way long before, but he sealed the deal. Now teachers are responsible for the performance of creatures that are generally indifferent to the world that surrounds them. It's really quite comical if you think about it.

        The sad reality is teachers are now required to provide lesson plans that prove they are teaching directly to their state's respective assessment. Anything beyond that is peachy, but that is the minimum administrators have to ensure.
        In part, you can thank the "democrat" teacher's union for that. They don't want ANYONE assessing how well they are doing, or can do. If you DARE to, they go on strike!!!!!

        Frankly, if I were president, I would look at all 50 states, boil down things, and say THIS is what you MUST teach by 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 9th grades! You have 3 years left to make sure they EXCEL or study some approved option. To give you an idea, I would say that by 1st grade they would have to learn reading, basic writing, basic math, etc... By 9th probably algebra, trig, etc... Each year vocabulary standards and math standards would be raised. The third grade would have more complex math. Teach the basics of two popular foreign languages by 5th grade. Well, you get the idea. HECK, I still remember reading sentences in first grade while some were trying to read words. TODAY, I have known 3rd grade teachers that are OK with students that CAN'T READ!!!!!

        I would ALSO mandate a yearly assessment done at the school with someone held responsible for proctoring. Frankly, the OLD method of teachers being "responsible", and the new "state" tests JUST DON'T CUT IT!

        Steve
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        • Profile picture of the author Radix
          Originally Posted by seasoned View Post

          In part, you can thank the "democrat" teacher's union for that. They don't want ANYONE assessing how well they are doing, or can do. If you DARE to, they go on strike!!!!!

          Frankly, if I were president, I would look at all 50 states, boil down things, and say THIS is what you MUST teach by 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 9th grades! You have 3 years left to make sure they EXCEL or study some approved option. To give you an idea, I would say that by 1st grade they would have to learn reading, basic writing, basic math, etc... By 9th probably algebra, trig, etc... Each year vocabulary standards and math standards would be raised. The third grade would have more complex math. Teach the basics of two popular foreign languages by 5th grade. Well, you get the idea. HECK, I still remember reading sentences in first grade while some were trying to read words. TODAY, I have known 3rd grade teachers that are OK with students that CAN'T READ!!!!!

          I would ALSO mandate a yearly assessment done at the school with someone held responsible for proctoring. Frankly, the OLD method of teachers being "responsible", and the new "state" tests JUST DON'T CUT IT!

          Steve
          Government really has no place in the education business.

          The crux of your argument really boils down to expectations. Unfortunately, public schools have become a giant crap catcher for society's shortcomings. Expectations have been historically dropping for decades. At this pace we'll be lucky if our grandchildren are capable of much beyond a fistbump at graduation.

          No tests will fix that.
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          • Profile picture of the author Rezbi
            Originally Posted by Radix View Post

            Government really has no place in the education business.
            It's a shame they don't know that. Our education system might still have been pretty good before they messed it up.
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          • Profile picture of the author seasoned
            Originally Posted by Radix View Post

            Government really has no place in the education business.

            The crux of your argument really boils down to expectations. Unfortunately, public schools have become a giant crap catcher for society's shortcomings. Expectations have been historically dropping for decades. At this pace we'll be lucky if our grandchildren are capable of much beyond a fistbump at graduation.

            No tests will fix that.
            YOU SEE what I am talking about!?!? "Teachers"(SORRY that I misspelled the word so many times here) with THAT attitude are the problem!

            And the government PAYS for public education. They DEMAND that kids spend their time in school. They should make sure that the U.S. AGAIN becomes a TRUE world leader and STAYS THERE! It will NEVER happen, but it SHOULD! And too many "teachers" feel that teachers should be just BABYSITTERS! And they EXPECT a "living wage"!?!?!? INCREDIBLE!

            If you want to be a babysitter, STATE IT! MAYBE you can make 10-15/hour! Just don't offer tutoring, OK?

            Steve

            TOO MANY feel as you, and TOO many people pay "
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            • Profile picture of the author Radix
              Originally Posted by seasoned View Post

              YOU SEE what I am talking about!?!? "Teachers"(SORRY that I misspelled the word so many times here) with THAT attitude are the problem!

              And the government PAYS for public education. They DEMAND that kids spend their time in school. They should make sure that the U.S. AGAIN becomes a TRUE world leader and STAYS THERE! It will NEVER happen, but it SHOULD! And too many "teachers" feel that teachers should be just BABYSITTERS! And they EXPECT a "living wage"!?!?!? INCREDIBLE!

              If you want to be a babysitter, STATE IT! MAYBE you can make 10-15/hour! Just don't offer tutoring, OK?

              Steve

              TOO MANY feel as you, and TOO many people pay "
              Good grief, this is a lost cause.
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          • Profile picture of the author Greg guitar
            [QUOTE=Radix;1391874]Government really has no place in the education business.
            QUOTE]

            Yes let's get rid of public education; America's founders were all wrong about that: let's privatize everything; that way, poor kids will get the education they deserve (as punishment for being poor), from the school of hard knocks. The way things were when Charles Dickens was alive; those were the good old days.
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            • Profile picture of the author BillyBee
              Enough already about this myth that teachers being unpaid. They're NOT. Haven't been for a long time.

              The average teacher makes about $60,000 per year --- and that's only working 180 days. They get nearly three months off, remember.

              Compare that to the average salary of U.S. workers and it will open your eyes.

              Teachers work very hard, yes. But you can't call them underpaid by almost any measure.
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        • Profile picture of the author Greg guitar
          Originally Posted by seasoned View Post


          Frankly, if I were president, I would look at all 50 states, boil down things, and say THIS is what you MUST teach by 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 9th grades! You have 3 years left to make sure they EXCEL or study some approved option. To give you an idea, I would say that by 1st grade they would have to learn reading, basic writing, basic math, etc... By 9th probably algebra, trig, etc... Each year vocabulary standards and math standards would be raised. The third grade would have more complex math. Teach the basics of two popular foreign languages by 5th grade. Well, you get the idea. HECK, I still remember reading sentences in first grade while some were trying to read words. TODAY, I have known 3rd grade teachers that are OK with students that CAN'T READ!!!!!



          Steve
          Okay, I'm sorry but this really got me going: LONG RANT AHEAD:

          This type of anti-creative, anti-individual, authoritarian rigid thinking is causing all kinds of unnecessary pain for children that don't fit the mold and aren't suited to the universal schedule adults arrogantly force upon them.

          A minority, like possibly yourself, do well with it, but even those that do are often the worse for wear, as regimentation's meta-lesson is that learning is about working for a grade, rather than to satisfy your innate curiosity, or for the natural joy of discovery that regimentation has crushed out of your mind.

          The far greater natural rewards of learning: the wonderful expansion of mind, the awesome discovery of once distant horizons, the satisfaction of curiosity, and the development and refinement of new skills, is forcibly traded for far more meager ones: the good report card, the gold star, and the pat on the head.

          A disaster strikes: learning goes from internally to externally driven. Students learn to pass tests in order to please authority figures. Learning from the heart is a foggy memory at best.

          The internal drive to grow and expand that is built into every young mind, largely shrivels from disuse. Learning goes from a joyful natural process that the person's whole being is eagerly and energetically thrown into, to a chore they must be forced to do.

          One of the biggest tasks of teaching becomes trying to bend the will of the child. If successful, the child internalizes the lesson so well, his will merges with the will of the school, and he no longer knows what he would want to learn if nobody was telling him what he must, for a good score.

          Perhaps the meta-meta lesson is that the child's purpose is not to pursue her own interests, but to obey; to do what she "should" and to perform tests that prove her worthy to the people that have more power than herself. It's an effective lesson if the purpose is to produce docile workers; not so good if the purpose is to empower the individual to think for herself, find her greatest purpose, and make the most of her life.

          Some can succeed quite well, and even thrive in the regimented system, but they are in the minority. When it comes to the mind and learning, try as we might to force it to, one size doesn't fit all!

          Even those whose grades show success, are often left with psychological barriors to lifelong learning (and other issues) from this very unnatural model. There are college graduates that would never think to crack a book because it looks fascinating, or fun. They've absorbed the lesson that learning is all about the tests, papers and grades; without the grade there's no point.

          Many take drugs to get through school; a logical strategy when the grade is a higher priority than the student's own welfare. I had a buddy in a medical program who told me everyone in his class reported developing some kind of a sleep disorder as a result of the workload. He wasn't drugging, and he was a good student, but his health was ironically damaged by it.

          If you think I'm blowing smoke, consider this: we all know children learn at a phenomenal rate during the first few years of life. Possibly they learn more in the first 3-4 years of life than in the 12 years from grade through high school! And they learn the most demanding thing they probably ever will; how to use their mouths to form words that convey actual meaning; from a standing start! Incredible; reading is child's;-) play by comparison!

          Yet those are the years before regimentation, or (with rare exceptions) any type of formality is introduced. Why aren't we the least bit interested in finding out something about this amazing process and applying it to help people reach thier greatest potential?! Well, some people are intensely interested, but the testing junkies are not among them.

          An obvious lesson to be gleaned is that learning is innate: it happens when a kid gets lots of loving attention, and the people giving it don't even need any expertise; the child still learns amazingly complex "lessons" at an incredible rate. So do we take any insights and apply them to education?

          Not if we listen to the "more testing", "more rigid standards", "punish the teachers that don't produce high grade getting robots" crowd. They pretty much advocate the opposite; teach by force. If that doesn't work, increase the force. Apply it to the teachers, (threat of job loss), who will pass it on the the kids (threat of being held back/humiliation), who will damn well be punished if they don't learn exactly what we want them to on our exact schedule.

          The fact is, this hysterical testing frenzy that gives tests and grades the highest priority and ignores the actual learning experience is driven by a profound disrespect of humans, and especially, children. If you need to test them every time they turn around, it shows a total lack of confidence in their process. To quote Pink Floyd, "Leave them kids alone!"

          Excessive testing has demonstrably negative effects on children, and actually interferes with learning. Any honest assessment of education and what we know of the mind has to concede that we know precious little about the internal mechanics of learning. But we know that it does happen on it's own. You can encourage it, or interfere with it, but you can't force it, especially given that you don't even know what it is or how it occurs.

          Anybody can remember a time they were learning a new subject or skill. There's usually a point where it all clicks. One day for example, I picked up my guitar, and could play something comfortably and fluently that I struggled with the last time I tried it, maybe a week before. What happened during that week? No testing, no practice, nobody threatening to hold me back, no promise of a high grade. Some internal process we don't understand, yet we can all recall.

          Since we are born such amazing little learning virtuosos, isn't it clear that we should stop trying to take over the process with our clumsy, abusive bumbling? Our goal with education should be to encourage the child to retain as much of her amazing learning abilities as possible; not to start offering carrots and sticks to force her to do what she already does so much better than any adult.
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    • Profile picture of the author Martin Luxton
      Originally Posted by drwhogoesthere View Post

      I think you are all on the wrong track. I still work as a teacher and it is not the lesson plan that makes a good teacher, it's how you get the kids interested.
      That's a whole can of worms there. Give me the target language and the lesson aim and I can do a perfectly structured lesson off the cuff because I have the whole process internalised. I also know how to keep the students engaged.

      But that comes from experience, confidence and highly developed skill. There are a lot of newer/less able teachers who need help with a lesson plan and their colleagues don't always have the time to help them out. Plus, who hasn't experienced the "OK, we haven't got a geography teacher this term. You've got a week to learn the subject and prepare lessons."

      Originally Posted by drwhogoesthere View Post

      If you judge a teacher on their lesson plans then you have a poor idea about what teaching really is.
      Unfortunately, governments like paperwork and is often the people who are good at the admin side who get rewarded.

      Regarding poor quality lesson plans, as Amy said there could be a big gap in this market for a quality site selling lessons guaranteed to work.

      One model you could copy is this subscription site

      Onestopenglish | Resources for teaching English

      Martin
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    • Profile picture of the author Ben Schemel
      I teach skate boarding and rock climbing, where do I sell my lesson plas?
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  • Profile picture of the author Greg guitar
    It's a bad idea letting teachers profit from their own work. A teacher's life should be completely devoted to serving the community.

    I say get rid of the profiteering teachers that aspire to a luxurious lifestyle of sleeping in beds, living in heated homes, and eating fresh produce. Let them find a way to live frugally, sleeping on straw mats in unheated shacks, using pigs, dogs, and old blankets for warmth, eating nothing more extravagant than pb+j sandwiches, mac+cheese dinners, and breakfast gruel. Virtue grows in a bed of frugal living. Sin thrives in luxury.

    Speaking of sin, I think it's an outrage that teachers these days are allowed to have sex with a partner (or alone-teachers caught with creams, lotions, or body oils should be flogged). Who knows what other sordid personal pleasures they engage in now that their privacy is considered to be a personal "right".

    Let's bring back the days when teachers were expected to lead a saintly and celibate life and too much fun was a sin. Why just the other day, I was passing a local school and noticed a female teacher on the playground, and she was brazenly displaying, not only her ankles, but naked calves as well!!!! The shock and outrage I felt was indescribable. I had to rush home and pray for their immortal souls (and my own; I am not immune to the devil's temptations).

    While we're at it, let's lower their pay. We don't want them having any disposible income, lest they be led into temptation by the merchants of booze, pornography, and other tools of Satan.

    Or maybe I'm wrong and we should raise their pay, let them lubricate themselves or each other if they choose to, (but not on school property), and let them profit from their own unique lesson plans that they created while engaged in their noble yet wretchedly overworked/underpaid profession. I can't decide.

    I think I'll quit talking to the invisible man upstairs now, and go have some demonic fun!
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  • Profile picture of the author Daniel E Taylor
    Honestly who gives a ****?

    Let teachers do whatever they need to do to make their
    job easier and more efficient.

    I helped a friend who is a teacher once at her house to
    sort some papers.

    I was amazed at how much freaking work these teachers
    have to do OFF THE CLOCK.

    It's ridiculous. Teachers have a tough job. That requires
    many overtime hours with no pay.

    I'm on the teachers side.

    GO TEACHERS!
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    Self Actualization is one's true purpose. Everything
    else is an illusion.

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  • Profile picture of the author rondo
    Interesting. I'm all for monetizing intellectual property, but I would have thought the employer (the school) owned these lesson plans if the teachers created them while employed by the school.
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  • Profile picture of the author armani
    I think teacher's should have every right to sell their lesson plans. I mean they make little pay as is , so a little help selling their lesson plans wouldn't hurt anyone.
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  • Profile picture of the author drwhogoesthere
    Just now I have had to break up a fight between parents.

    When we deal with problem kids we forget that they com 95% of the time from problem homes. The problem is we dont know what goes on in houses. They look good from the outside but what goes on behind close doors.

    Let teacher buy and sell lesson plans. In Australia, espeacially in NSW we have a system that encourages teachers to share lesson plans for free. People put up who lesson and term plans.

    Why reinvent the wheel.

    Look after your teachers, support them. Dont forget that they are human and make mistakes. Plus one bad teacher will not stop your child from having success.

    Do you really need to have A grades to be a millionaire? How many people here in this forum didn't do well at school? I didn't. In fact I hated school.

    My education came from me wanting to learn. Good or bad teachers had no affect on me. I learned what I needed through reading (taught to me by my parents) and watching a lot of infromative tv shows (no big brother rubbish).

    In fact if anybody wants my teaching programs I will happliy give them to you. just pm me. They aren't great but they will give you a start and you can go from there.

    As soon as this day is done I think I will undertake the teachers relaxation ritual, beer.
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